Kenneth was born in Welland ON and spent most of his life in southern Ontario. He was serving in the 4th Field Company during the Gothic Line Battle. On 14 September, the 1st Canadian Infantry Division was assaulting the Melo and Marano Rivers along the coastal highway on the way to Rimini. After an RCE armoured bulldozer had cleared a track across the river allowing limited traffic, elements of the West Nova Scotia Regiment found a bridge on the Rimini-Coriano Road still intact but prepared for demolition. The infantry lieutenant tore away some of the wires, while L/Sgt Henderson's reconnaissance team was called to remove the charges. They worked into the night, under mortar and small arms fire, severely wounding one of his men. Kenneth received a Military Medal for his leadership and courage.
Ken Henderson died at the age of 84 on 12 September 2002. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion in Niagara Falls, ON.
On 14 September 1944, 2 Platoon, 4 Canadian Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, was supporting the West Nova Scotia Regiment in the assault across the River Marano. At about 1500 hours on that day, the road bridge at Map Reference 819903 was reported intact but prepared for demolition.
Following a reconnaissance by the platoon officer, during which the leads were removed from the charges, Lance-Sergeant Henderson left with a small party to lift these charges. They had been set in such a manner that it appeared as if it were intended to initiate the demolition by accurate sniping at small charges set on the parapet. Lance-Sergeant Henderson's party arrived at the bridge at about 1, 600 hours and went immediately to work. The bridge was under continuous mortar fire and spasmodic small arms fire. In spite of this, the party worked until 2030 hours removing the charges, working in the cramped positions to get what cover they could from the bridge parapet. Lance-Sergeant Henderson's leadership and courage in such circumstances set a fine example to his men, and in spite of the fact that one man of the party was severely wounded, he kept his men at work until the job was complete. He thus saved for use a most important bridge and allowed the free passage of traffic of two divisions.
Lance-Sergeant Henderson's courage and devotion to duty undoubtedly prevented the demolition of this bridge and permitted a more rapid advance of our troops than would otherwise have been possible.